Improvement of darts performance following lucid dream practice depends on the number of distractions while rehearsing within the dream - a sleep laboratory pilot study.
Melanie Schädlich, Daniel Erlacher, Michael Schredl
Journal of Sports Sciences December 1, 2017 DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2016.1267387 (opens in new tab) via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractPracticing a motor skill inside a lucid dream can improve real-world performance, but only when distractions during the dream are minimal. In a sleep-laboratory pilot study, participants threw darts in the evening and again in the morning. One group physically practiced, one practiced only in lucid dreams, and a control group did not practice. Lucid dreamers who reported few distractions improved their dart-throwing accuracy by 18%, a significant gain comparable to physical practice. Those who experienced many distractions showed no improvement. The findings suggest lucid dream practice may be useful for athletes who can maintain focus within the dream, though the results are preliminary and require qualitative investigation of the dream experience.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Pilot study with pre-post design Qualitative Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 18 |
| Population | Adult participants in a sleep laboratory |
| Duration | Overnight (evening to morning) |
| Keywords | Lucid dreams Darts Lucid dream practice Mental practice Motor learning |
| Key finding | Lucid dreamers with few distractions improved dart-throwing accuracy by 18%, while those with many distractions did not improve. |
Abstract
In a lucid dream, the dreamer is aware of the dream state and can deliberately practice motor skills. Two field studies indicated that lucid dream practice can improve waking performance in simple motor tasks. The present pilot study investigated the effect of lucid dream practice in a controlled sleep laboratory setting, using a pre-post design with dart throwing in the evening and morning. The experimental group practiced darts in lucid dreams. Because some participants were distracted during lucid dream practice, the group was divided into lucid dreamers with few (n = 4) and many distractions (n = 5). Change of performance was compared to a physical practice group (n = 9) and a control group (n = 9), showing a significant interaction (P = .013, η2 = .368). Only the lucid dreamers with few distractions improved (18%) significantly over time (P = .005, d = 3.84). Even though these results have to be considered preliminary, the present study indicates that lucid dream practice can be an effective tool in sports practice if lucid dreamers find ways to minimise distractions during lucid dream practice. Moreover, the study emphasises the necessity to investigate lucid dream practice experiences on a qualitative level.